National News
National News

Rachel Levine Makes History As 1st Openly Trans Federal Official Confirmed By Senate
The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Dr. Rachel Levine as assistant secretary for health in the Department of Health and Human Services. The vote is a history-making one: Levine is the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate.

Timber Wars Continued: Conservationists Sue To Save Spotted Owl Logging Protections
Environmental groups have filed a lawsuit seeking to preserve protections for 3.4 million acres of northern spotted owl habitat from the US-Canada border to northern California, the latest salvo in a legal battle over logging in federal old-growth forests that are key nesting grounds for the imperiled species.

Could The Worst Of The Pandemic Be Over For The U.S.?
A year after the pandemic shut down the country, a growing number of infectious disease experts, epidemiologists, public health officials and others have started to entertain a notion that has long seemed out of reach: The worst of the pandemic may be over for the United States.

President Biden Urges Immediate Action From Senate On Gun Bills After Colorado Shooting
President Biden said Tuesday that he and first lady Jill Biden were “devastated” by Monday’s shooting in Boulder, Colo., and called on the Senate to pass to gun bills passed by the House earlier this month that would tighten gun laws.

Out Of Whack: Lack Of Homes For Sale Sends Prices Surging, Frustrates Buyers
Many Americans are ready and eager to buy a home right now. But they’re having trouble finding one. Home sales edged down 6.6% in February compared with the previous month because there just aren’t enough houses out there for people to buy.

10 Victims, Including Police Officer, Identified In Boulder Shooting; Suspect Arrested
“Our hearts go out to all the victims of this senseless act of violence,” said Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold. All of the victims have now been identified and their families have been notified, Herold said at a news conference Tuesday morning. She then read out the list of the victims.

Jay Inslee Decries ‘Horrendous Surge’ Of Violence Against Asian Americans
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee was joined Monday by community leaders to decry what he called a “horrendous surge” of violence against Asian-Americans.

Supreme Court To Hear Appeal Of Boston Marathon Bomber’s Vacated Death Sentences
The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Monday that it will consider whether to reinstate the death penalty for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

After Dan Newhouse Voted To Impeach Trump, Conservatism In Central Washington Is Being Redefined
When Rep. Dan Newhouse broke with his party to vote to impeach President Trump, critics started to question his Conservative credentials. The state GOP condemned the impeachment vote, and Republican Party chairs in Grant, Benton, Franklin, Yakima, Adams, and Douglas counties demanded his resignation.

U.S. Defense Secretary Goes To Afghanistan Amid Questions Over Withdrawal Date
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin landed in Kabul on Sunday, amid uncertainty over how long American forces will stay in the country.

Men’s And Women’s NCAA March Madness Facilities, Separate And Unequal, Spark Uproar
While the set-up for the men’s teams included a number of power racks with Olympic bars and weights, the women were provided with a set of dumbbells and yoga mats for the three weeks they will be in the tournament bubble. The post created another sort of March Madness.

For Asian American Women, Misogyny And Racism Are Inseparable, Sociologist Says
Although authorities have said it’s too early to declare the attack a hate crime, they said the gunman’s actions — relying on the suspect’s own words — were not racially motivated, but driven by a sex addiction. He confessed to officers that in committing the acts he wanted to “eliminate” a “temptation.”